‘I Am Thalente' follows once homeless Thalente Biyela from the streets of South Africa to California on a skateboard.

Once homeless, Thalente Biyela, from South Africa attracts international attention with his effortless style on a board and is invited to travel to the US to skate with the pros. The film explores what it really takes to rise up out of circumstances and make a place for himself in the world.

Thalente Biyela is about to turn 18 and needs to decide what to be when he ‘grows up'. Homeless since age nine, he is illiterate his opportunities are limited. At age eight, his first skateboard becomes his escape from turmoil at home, giving him a way to express himself, and access to a community of friends who become family. Skateboarding soon became the driving force in his life, providing him sanctity as he lived on the streets of Durban. An internet video of Thalente skating reaches pro-skater Kenny Anderson who offers to take him under his wing if he makes it to America. Thalente puts his heart and soul to the test to rise above circumstance and shape his future.

A film by Natalie Johns

South Africa - U.S. / 2015 / Documentary / 80 Minutes / Color

FILMMAKER STATEMENT
I AM THALENTE is a coming of age story that captures a three-year window of time in Thalente Biyela's life as he transitions from teenager to young man, from living on the streets of South Africa to pursuing his dream of a career in skateboarding.
At the core of Thalente's story is his love of skateboarding and the role that pursuing this passion played in his life. Skateboarding became the very definition of how he lives his life on and off a skateboard. It is the source of his confidence and humility; his family and his future when once he had none. The film explores the humanity that is the foundation of this global culture and Thalente Biyela is the embodiment of it's purist heart.
I was drawn to the story by Thalente Biyela's bravery. He survived eight years on the street before I met him in 2011. Having grown up in South Africa, I understood just how dangerous and challenging that must have been. He was so open and honest with me, his view of the world so unique, I was filled with a sense of duty to honor his trust and share his story so that it may help others who found themselves in a similar situation.
Engaging with the skate community was essential to this concept. Thalente's natural ability on a board spoke for itself and his story was both incredible and common within the culture and evoked a powerful response from the skateboarders I shared it with. It had been attracting people and opportunities to him for a long time already. He only needed a helping hand to facilitate connections, something he was unable to do himself from the streets. It was Thalente who put it out there in our first interview. He said, "There's got to be a way to get good. If you skate with good people it's got to happen, the influence is good." I saw this as a metaphor for his journey into adulthood. He had missed out on the basic support of a family and the guidance and parenting that we all rely on for our own independence. If the people he respected in skateboarding surrounded him, I hoped following their example would become natural.
I always wanted the story to be forward facing. His backstory serves as context to understand just how far he has come, but I never wanted it to overshadow what is happening in the here and now. Through documenting his experience I wanted give Thalente a platform to share his story and to help others gain a deeper understanding of the challenges faced when trying to rise up out of circumstance and overcome our limitations, be they situational or personal.
I am very much influenced by the documentary filmmakers, The Maysles Brothers, who believed in the truth and the value it brings to a story. I'm attracted to the beauty of documenting the moment, as it is experienced. I am also a fan of the poetic nature of Wim Wenders work and the portraits he paints of the characters in his films. As a filmmaker, I'm driven to capture a moving portrait of the people that I document. As a character, I was drawn not only to Thalente's grace and natural ability on a skateboard, but to his unique view of the world, his bravery and ability to stay true to himself throughout.
Having worked with non-profits and for different social causes, as well as having grown up in South Africa myself I understand intrinsically the need for empowerment versus handouts. My intention was always to provide stability and support for Thalente and for him to decide what he wanted to do with it from there. This meant that embarking on this adventure with him came with great risk. I had to be prepared to follow through on my commitment no matter what the outcome and whether or not it was worthy of a film in the end. To me personally, however, the risk was never that great. I had so much faith in Thalente. He survived eight years on the street as a child before I met him, and I believed if he could do that he could do anything.
I have to admit I was neither the perfect filmmaker nor provider. I soon found myself in the throws of proxy parenthood, strained objectivity and overwhelming protectiveness of another person who I was viewing through two prisms: the lens of my camera, and my humanity. But my experience of working with and caring for Thalente offered a mirror like reflection back on my own life, the choices I make and how I interact with the world. For that I will be forever grateful.
Natalie Johns, Director


Principal Cast:
Thalente Biyela
Tony Hawk
Lance Mountain
Kenny Anderson
Guy Mariano

Directed By: Natalie Johns
Producers: Natalie Johns, Oualid Mouaness, Colin Kennedy
Executive Producers: Sal Masekela, Jason Bergh, Julia Lebedev
Cinematographers: Natalie Johns, Lawrence McCullum
Editors: Nayim Saati, Brett Bert Shaw

Title: I Am Thalente
Country: South Africa / U.S. co-production
World Premiere: 2015 Los Angeles Film Festival
Language: English
Running Time: 80 minutes
Shooting Locations: Los Angeles, South Africa, other locations
Format: HD

Production Co: Made To Stray Films, in association with UX
Entertainment and Tricycle Logic

Directed by
Natalie Johns

Produced by
Natalie Johns
Colin Kennedy

Producer
Oualid Mouaness

Co-Producer
Tammy-Lee Smith

Co-Producers
L-R-G

Editors
Nayim Saati
Brett Bert Shaw

Executive Producers
Sal Masekela
Jason Bergh

Executive Producer
Julia Lebedev

Sound Mix and FX Design
Juan Campos

Music Supervision
Natalie Johns

Additional Music Supervision
Jaymee Carpenter

Colorist
Jeremy Thomas

Titles and Art Work Design
Matt Rodriguez

Cast In Order of Appearance
Thalente Biyela
Tony Hawk
(Guy with the blue hair with Tony) Braxton Haines
Tammy-Lee Smith
Natalie Johns
Bruce Callahan
Sizwe
Colin Kennedy
Kenny Anderson
Sirsa Shekim
Guy Mariano
Marc Johnson
Justin Eldridge
Lawrence McCullum
Felipe Gustavo
Tom Asta
Lance Mountain
Andy Dicker
Hugh Masekela
Chloe Trigano

Publicity Contact
Matt Johnstone Publicity
Matt Johnstone
+1 323 938 7880
mattjohnstone-pr@sbcglobal.net

2015 | 3rd Portland Film Festival - PDXFF15, Oregon, USA, 1-7 sept 2015
* NORTHWEST PREMIERE
* DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION
http://portlandfilmfestival.com

2015 | LAFF - Los Angeles Film Festival, USA
* won the Audience Award For Documentary Film
* Worldwide Premiere
* Screening - World Premiere: Monday, June 15th, 8:30pm, Regal Cinemas L.A. LIVE 2
* Screening - Press Screening: Monday, June 15th, 2:00pm, Regal Cinemas L.A. LIVE 2